Improvement in windlasses



aIVILSON NEWCOMB, 0F BALTIMORE, llIAFJYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO NATHAN W. ALLEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDLASSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,993, dated October 28, 1873; application iiled September 10, 1873A To all whom it' may acteert:

Be it known that I, VILSON NEWCOMB, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Ships" NVindlasses, of which the following is a specification; and I do hereby declarethat in the same is contained a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to ships windlass, having certain of its parts capable of a relief movement in cases where the operative devices thereof are subjected suddenly or otherwise to an undue strain; and, further, to a new combination of parts converting a reciprocating motion of the primitive parts of the operative mechanism into a rotary movement applied to the barrel or chain head.

The object of my invention is to provide the windlass with such elements as will guard it from shocks caused by the movement of the vessel or otherwise, and to apply a strain directly upon the barrel or chain head proportionately with that placed upon the cable; that is to say, the power applied to the primary portions of the moving `mechanism in the hands ofthe operators being constant, the leverage -upon the parts acting. directly upon the barrel and chain head is, by means of the invention herein described, variable, and l greatest when the cable is at its maximum tension.

Inl the further description of my invention which follows, due reference must be had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal section of my improved wiudlass upon the line m 1,

' shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is also a longitudinal section, but upon line c w in Fig. 3 5 and Fig. 3 is a plan of the invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts of the invention in all the views.

A is the frame of the windlass fastened to the deck B of the vessel. C is a carriage resting upon the slides a, which are secured to the frame A. D is the barrel, a portion of which, D', is formed as a chain-head. On either end of the barrel D is a ratchet-wheel,

E E. The ratchet-wheel E is engaged by pawls situated within the arms b and b', by which, a reciprocating motion being imparted to the said arms, a continuous rotary motion of the barrel and chain'head is obtained. The wheel E', operating .with the pawl c, prevents a retrograde movement of the barrel. The arm b is connected to a cross-head, d, by means of the pin e which passes through a slot, j', running longitudinally of the arm. The crossheadd. is suitably guided by a portion of the frame, and is connected, by means of the links g, to an arm, h, fastened to the shaft F which rests in bearings on the upper side of the frame. To retain the carriage@ in the position shown in the drawing, the springs k k are used, which are confined upon a rod between the brackets Z and lf, respectively located upon the carriage and frame. The elasticity of the springs, which are preferably made of indiarubber, is such as to cause the retention of the carriage in position under ordinary circumstances; but, upon a sudden shock being given to the cable, the springs are compressed, allovng the carriage with barrel, chain-head, and other attachments to move toward the bow of the vessel, thereby placing a gra-duallyincreasing strain upon the windlass. The arms b and b', hereinbefore mentioned as operating upon the ratchet-wheel E, are connected by a rod, m, and bell-crank and link a a', which, together, cause a reciprocal movement of the said arms. Gr andG are sheaves, over which the cable, when a chain, passes before entering the hawse-hole o in the deck. The .sheave G, which is attached to a movable frame, H, is capable of a longitudinal mo vement independ `ently of the frame to which it is attached, the said movement being governed, asrin the case of the carriage, by springs k', the action of which tends to support the sheave in the position shown in the drawing. The sheave G is fixed in so far as relates to any longitudinal movement independently of the carriage. I is a spirally-brmed collar or ange extending around the barrel of the windlass, to guide the cable, when a rope, as it is wound upon the barrel, and also to prevent the riding of the cable, K is a friction-band, by means of By referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that,

by the use of the sheave G, the movement of the cable, as the springs It" are compressed, is twice that of the said springs; that is to say, for one foot of movement of the frame H, the carriage being stationary7 two feet of cable pass through the hawse-hole. It will also be seen that the sheave G, although it in connection with the sheave G' presents the appearance of a tackle, differs from it in that it does not alter the rapidity'of the winding process, or increase or diminish the power of the machine.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. rlhe independently-sliding sheave G, frame H, and springs 7a', in combination with the sliding carriage of the windlass, as set forth.

2. The independently-sliding sheave G and sheave G', operating together, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the ratchet-wheel E of the chain-head, upon or within the sliding carriage as described, the arms b and b', rod m, bell-crank u, and link n', the said arms b b being provided with pawls, substantially as specified.

Inn testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my name this 9th day of September, A. D. 1873.

' VILSON NEVVCOMB.

Witnesses:

WM. T. HOWARD, W. H. HAYWARD. 

